PARAG – Eco-Friendly Water Retention

This matter must be urgently addressed, with food sources under severe strain and still household food security being a major concern. However, a clear solution would be to use Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs). SAPs absorb and carry about 300 times its weight in liquid relative to their own mass. We sought to create a product that can improve soil quality, preserve water and resist drought, therefore, produce a better environment for crop growth. It is must be harmless and non-polluting with super water absorbing ability and water preserving ability while the absorbed water cannot be easily removed when applied to soil subject to microbiological degradation because of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The SAP makes use of naturally found polysaccharide. The product is fully biodegradable, low-cost and has better water retaining properties than commercial SAPs.

Long Description

Dry weather conditions and lack regular rainfall encourages water conservative technology of Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). SAPs have great water absorption capacity relative to its own weight which improves soil moisture and hence reduces water stress on the plant during prolonged drought stress condition and during irrigation intervals. Studies show that the total quantity of water required for the regular, healthy growth of crops is also reduced by 15 to 50%. This technology is rather uncommon to local farmers due to various reasons, such as market availability and high retail cost. Most commercially found SAPs used in agriculture are prepared from acrylic acid and cross-linked by solution or suspension polymerization. However, post consequences of commercial SAP absorbed by the root of the plant, ultimately penetrate the roots of crops and may cause noxious effects on the consumers. Current manufacture of SAPs involves toxic residual by-products which have the ability to heavily pollute the environment. The use of Starch-based and Pectin-based SAPs have been developed, however these compounds are all still cross-linked chemically, not fully biodegradable, does not have as high water retaining properties as chemically based SAPs and have high market prices. The commercial price of chemically based SAPs are $2,000-$3,000 per ton.

Key factor(s)-1. Very low cost as compared to other similar products available in market.

2. Completely biodegradable, hence doesn’t affect land and farmers.